Sora Japanese Cuisine launches chic restaurant and urban lounge

With a distinct art form that awakens and feeds the soul, Sora Japanese Cuisine and Urban Lounge promises to excite and entice palates at its new super-chic location at Progressive Shopping Centre in Barbican and with its sushi options.

Director of Sora Japanese Cuisine and Urban Lounge, Ron Young, told Food, “Previously, Sora was focusing solely or mainly on food. What we have done is added a lounge bar element so that you can enjoy delicious sushi and international Japanese food fare with delectable cocktails by our award-winning mixologists.”

Two of the signature cocktails already in the mix are the lychee martini, made with either gin or vodka, as well as the spicy margarita. Japanese cocktails, he added, are also high on the must-try drinks list.

At the recently held launch, attendees honoured their palates with the unique taste of traditional Japanese flavour, dished out to exquisite proportions. Rolling out the royal treatment, the indoors made sushi the star of the show, putting an assortment of flavours on fabulous display. Other menu items stepping up to the plate were tempura lobster and teriyaki chicken, just to name a few.

The launch was hailed for its revolving and copious food options. “The mainstays were the shrimp tempura and Japanese fried chicken. We also had rolls ranging from the red dragon, double eel roll, volcano roll, fire turner, and the salmon tempura,” he added.

Specially invited guests chose to dine in luxury and artistry, whetting their appetites with the scrumptious delights. While others mixed things up in the great outdoors, basking in the high spirits under the night sky.

The icing on the cake came when international disc jockey, Walshy Fire of Major Lazer, blessed the event with his blazing performance.

Formerly situated off the beaten path, Sora is back on the dining scene at one of the popular local hotspots. Tucked away on the corner on the second floor, the eatery maintains the sky element, giving diners enchanting views of the mountainside.

“Next week is our lunch opening. Once we get that streamlined, we will have our themed nights, giving guests the opportunity to have a different experience in food and ambiance,” Young shared. He said after this the team plans to make a move towards expansion to have more locations that align with the same unique vision and bring it to the rest of the island as well as the world.

For someone who has never had sushi before, Young advises that you take things slow, stick to your tastes and move on from there so that you can be adventurous over time. “Don’t go too adventurous, always ask questions and start with the basics that you know. If you love salmon, ask for a salmon-based roll. If you love avocado, we have that for you too. If you like raw food, you should try sashimi, a combination of raw tuna and salmon, which is done as a delicacy; it’s very healthy and very tasty. There’s always something you can try each time.”

Ticking all those inviting boxes, what are you waiting for? Take your taste adventure to the skies and dine with Sora.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com